Sunday, April 29, 2012

Slow Food - The Beginning

Suzy's new toy...
This may not be slow food in the revolutionary vein, rather it is the first time we're experimenting with a slow cooker. And if you're going to do something new, you might as well pull out some stops. So, a pound of white turnips, new carrots, onion, baby king mushrooms, garlic from yesterday's foray to the Brickworks market, an eye of the round roast, our own basil, salt, pepper, and a can of Guinness later, dinner is cooking at 7:30 am. This may not be the first time we've started cooking this early, but usually that's just to get the stock pot going, or because we're canning.

Now, the waiting game begins... Time to make breakfast...

 

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Brickworks Market Breakfast

In keeping with the Earth Day theme, we used yesterday's market basket provided the almost the entirety of this morning's breakfast. Normally we would turn out a frittata from these sort of ingredients. the big duck eggs with their brilliant orange yolks inspired us to try something different.

First, we sautéed finely chopped onion (the last of Ben Sosnicki's brought up from the cold cellar), with baby king mushrooms, cured whey fed pork tenderloin, and fresh baby spinach from yesterday's market.

Once done, we popped them into the oven to keep warm while making two thin crepe style omelettes. Each was made from two duck eggs, with a dash of salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. Once done, the filling went in, and some Montfort dairy Toscano was grated on top and rolled up. A slice of olive-cilantro bread rounded out the plate, and there was a mug of tea to drink.

The end result was a lovely start to a Sunday morning. I hope your day started as well too!

 

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Earth Day at the Brickworks

Looking at the logs it seems like almost six months have passed since my last post. Where has the time gone? Imagine, Nyls is almost one, and Aija's going on four! That said, while there haven't been updates, there have been lots of good times in the kitchen of the Hotel Cavell. This first post back won't be a retrospective though. Rather, I'd like to take this opportunity to post a look at the good things to be had at the Earthy Day celebrations at the Brickworks. Our local farmers had a lot to offer despite the season, as you can see here.

Chicken, duck and quail eggs, chocolate cookies, baguette and olive-cilantro bread from the St John's Bakery, spinach, cheese and cured pork loing from the Montfort Dairy, cider and Red Prince apples, baby king mushrooms. The question is, what will they become?

You'll just have to wait and see...